Congress to spend $15B on Covid, less than half of what administration originally wanted
“We cannot let it be said that America, after the third or fourth variant hits our shores, is unprepared,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said.
Today's Liberal News
The Information War Isn’t Over Yet
Sign up for Charlie’s newsletter, Galaxy Brain, here.Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is not yet two weeks old and yet a dozen headlines from major media outlets now suggest that Ukraine is “winning the information war” across much of the world (Russia and China may be notable exceptions).
What Democracy’s Advocates Can Learn From Ukrainians
In the oddly managerial language of military analysts, Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine is currently “behind schedule.” But it’s not just his military that’s struggled so far. Putin’s global propaganda machine—TV channels, social-media bot networks, government-sponsored hackers, and official mouthpieces—has floundered.This was not expected to happen.
Biden Answered the 3 a.m. Call
When Hillary Clinton sought to sow doubts about Barack Obama, her rival for the 2008 Democratic presidential nomination, she ran an attack ad tarnishing him as dangerously inexperienced. As the screen shows images from a suburban house, a husky-voiced narrator intones: “It’s 3 a.m. and your children are safe and asleep, but there’s a phone in the White House and it’s ringing.” There’s clearly been a terrible international incident.
Ilhan Omar on Ending War, Global Refugees, Russia Sanctions & Why More Saudi Oil Is Not the Answer
As the U.S. considers a ban on importing Russian oil as part of sanctions for its invasion of Ukraine, senior advisers to President Biden are reportedly planning to visit Saudi Arabia to secure more oil to make up the shortfall. We speak to Minnesota Congressmember Ilhan Omar about Saudi Arabia’s devastating war in Yemen, which has caused the worst humanitarian crisis in the world.
The Silencing of Dissent: Russia’s Memorial Human Rights Center Faces Closure Amid Putin’s Crackdown
Russia’s crackdown on civil society has extended to antiwar protesters, independent news media and human rights organizations, silencing dissent and sources of information amid the war in Ukraine. Under Russia’s foreign agents law, nongovernmental organizations receiving funding from another country experience increased scrutiny and risk of liquidation.
On International Women’s Day, Ukrainian LGBTQI Activist Describes Russian Siege as Millions Flee
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky released a video on Monday to admonish Russia for breaking promises to let Ukrainian citizens evacuate safely through “humanitarian corridors,” as Russian forces have continued to lay siege to civilian centers. We go to western Ukraine to speak with Olena Shevchenko, Ukrainian human rights and LGBTI activist who recently fled the Russian military assault on Kyiv with her parents and has been helping to evacuate others.
‘I almost lost my baby’: Parents demand answers from FDA
A recall of infant formula tied to two deaths came five months after the agency learned of the first hospitalized child, raising questions about the pace of the government’s investigation.
Senate votes to end Covid-19 emergency declaration, Biden threatens veto
The White House on Thursday called the GOP attempt to terminate the pandemic emergency declaration “a reckless and costly mistake.
SCOTUS says Kentucky AG can jump in to defend state’s abortion ban
The majority opinion pointed to “the importance of ensuring that States have a fair opportunity to defend their laws in federal court.
Russia oil shock looms over Fed inflation fight
The Fed is already expected to begin a campaign of interest rate increases next month in a bid to remove its support for economic growth amid a blistering job market and rapidly rising prices.
Biden takes victory lap with January jobs report
“America’s job machine is going stronger than ever,” Biden said at the White House.
U.S. employers shrug off Omicron, add 467,000 jobs in January
The burst of jobs came despite a wave of Omicron inflections that sickened millions of workers, kept many consumers at home and left businesses from restaurants to manufacturers short-staffed.
Opinion | Why Are Minority-Owned Banks Disappearing? Washington Holds the Smoking Gun
Congress needs to create a new safety net for such lenders — not let regulators squeeze them out of business.
Biden’s first year: A tale of 2 presidencies
Inside the White House, there is still optimism: “President Biden was elected to a four-year term, not a one-year term.
Ukrainian American Journalist: Putin’s Unjust War Is Emboldening Ukraine’s Far-Right Movement
We speak with Ukrainian American journalist Lev Golinkin about the rise of the far right in Ukraine. Golinkin says Russian bombing of the sacred Jewish site of Babi Yar disproves Putin’s claims that the invasion is about “denazification,” and attacks on cities in eastern Ukraine show he does not care about Russian-speaking Ukrainians either.
Marjorie Taylor Greene Claims She’s Working ‘For Free’ With All Her Pay Going To Mask Fines
On Twitter critic wonders if what the Republican congresswoman does qualifies as “work.
Tucker Carlson Somehow Blames U.S. For Russia’s War
“Why in the world would the U.S. intentionally seek war with Russia?” the Fox News host asked.
Ukraine Ambassador Gives Russian Diplomats Some Scathing ‘Mental Help’ Advice
Sergiy Kyslytsya has a blunt message after the latest wild claim from Russia.
Jan. 6 House Panel Reportedly Finding Trump White House Visitor Logs ‘Very Fruitful’
The former president had battled to keep secret the information on activity surrounding the U.S. Capitol riot.
Ukraine update: Scarce Russian gains, but an escalating humanitarian crisis
The humanitarian crisis in Ukraine continues to grow, with 1.7 million refugees seeking safety across the border while civilians in Ukrainian cities under Russian artillery and missile attacks remain trapped. Meanwhile, Russian forces continue to push forward with only modest gains, and Ukrainian defenders continue their success in reaching far into Russian supply convoys.
It took some two hours for accused man to attack seven Asian women
In what has become a violent trend of attacking Asian Americans, a 28-year-old man was charged on Wednesday of hate crimes after he was identified as the assailant in a two-hour violent spree through Manhattan last Sunday. Steven Zajonc was charged with seven counts of assault and attempted assault and seven counts of harassment and aggravated harassment after he allegedly punched a 57-year-old Asian American woman without saying a single word, The New York Times reported.
Educators in St. Paul and Minneapolis may be going on strike soon. Here’s why
by Cirien Saadeh
In a Feb. 24 announcement, teachers with the Saint Paul Federation of Educators (SPFE) and the Minneapolis Federation of Teachers (MFT), which includes both teachers and Education Support Professionals, announced an intent to strike. Filed with the state of Minnesota’s Bureau of Mediation, the intent to strike was authorized by the board in a vote counted Feb. 17 and provides a legally-mandated, 10-day warning to the school districts about a possible strike.
Putin’s propaganda show: U.S. neo-Nazis may idolize Vlad, but the feeling isn’t mutual
U.S. neo-Nazis and white supremacists may idolize Russian leader Vladimir Putin, but he just revealed that he really considers them to be “morons” even though they serve his interests as “useful idiots” by sowing disinformation, discord, and hatred in the U.S.
And that’s not all Putin had to say Saturday at a bizarre “Beauties and the Beast” propaganda event at an Aeroflot training center near Moscow.
Trump Reportedly Iced Out Of Top-Level Meeting Of Conservative Donors
The World Forum event by the American Enterprise Institute will instead include Trump critics, including Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell.
‘Democracy is not a spectator sport,’ co-founder of Stop AAPI Hate says amid tide of hate attacks
Long before she was recognized by TIME magazine as one of the 100 most influential individuals, received the White House Champions of Change award from President Barack Obama, became the executive director of the AAPI Equity Alliance (AAPI Equity), or co-founded Stop AAPI Hate, Manjusha Kulkarni witnessed the fight against racism first-hand.
Her family immigrated from India to the U.S.
Moderna says it will ‘never’ enforce Covid-19 vaccine patents in dozens of low- and middle-income countries
The 92 countries are members of the Gavi COVAX Advance Market Commitment, a mechanism aimed at securing financing for vaccines to go to those areas.
The Key to Escaping the Couple-Envy Trap
As a couples therapist, I often hear clients compare their romantic relationship with those of their friends or co-workers. Some do it to express satisfaction with their own partner. But more often, they wonder if they’d be happier with someone more attractive, more sensitive, funnier, smarter, or richer than the person they’re committed to.
The Strategy That Can Defeat Putin
First came the shock: the sight of missiles and artillery shells slamming into apartment buildings, helicopters pirouetting in flames, refugees streaming across the border, an embattled and unshaven president pleading with anguished political leaders abroad for help, burly uniformed men posing by burned-out tanks and infantry fighting vehicles, Russian police spot-checking cellphones on Moscow streets for dissident conversations. Distress and anger and resolution were natural reactions.
Venezuela’s Train to Nowhere
In 2011, Venezuela’s president, Hugo Chávez, announced that he had cancer. The details of his illness, and his treatment by doctors in Cuba, remained a mystery: He wouldn’t say what type of cancer it was or where it had been found in his body. But a presidential election was scheduled for the following year, so in January 2012, Chávez announced that he was cured and prepared to start campaigning.